From April 19th to 21st, 2024, the International Centre for Advanced Islamic Research (ICAIR) hosted its third annual conference in Toronto, Canada, in partnership with NASIMCO and the Jaffari Community Centre. The conference, titled “God in the Modern World“, drew over 400 attendeesfrom around the world, including scholars, theologians, and thinkers, who gathered to discuss the significance of religion and faith in today’s society and address the challenges posed by secularism, postmodernism, and technological progress.

Over the course of the weekend, more than 20 scholars presented their research on various topics at the Jaffari Community Centre (JCC). The conference was extremely well-attended and had a lively atmosphere: attendees were eager to learn from the diverse array of presentations and engaged in thought-provoking discussions and exchanged ideas during the breaks between sessions. The conference also featured keynote speeches by senior scholars such as Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli, Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, and Shaykh Dr Murtadha Alidina, Head of Islamic Education at The World Federation.

The conference attracted a large number of attendees, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere throughout the weekend. Panel discussions and Q&A sessions provided platforms for attendees to interact with speakers and explore the topics in greater depth. During the lunch and coffee breaks, participants had ample opportunities to network, share ideas, and continue the conversations sparked by the presentations and discussions.

The conference also saw the announcement of the winners of ICAIR’s photography competition, on the theme of “Faith and Modernity”, which encouraged community members of all ages and skill levels to express their understanding of faith creatively through a visual lens. Visit the ICAIR Instagram page to see the winning entries: https://www.instagram.com/icair_ac/ For those who could not attend in person, the conference was live-streamed on ICAIR’s YouTube channel, and a recording of the event is now available for viewing: www.https://www.youtube.com/@icair_ac